Automatic theft prevention device



ug- 1932. w. .LSAMUEL 1,874,312

AUTOMATIC THEFT PREVENTION DEVICE Filed April 3, 1951 Fig.1. F 9

T g I AIN Patented Aug. 30, 1932 p I p 1 TUNITEDD STATES. PATENT oFrlce Jenn sngunn, on cna'rnan; ENGLAND AUTOMATIC, ram-r rnnvun'r on DEVICE Application filed zl ri a, 1931 sem mi. 527,552 and in Great Britain April 12,1930.

7 Of late there has been an increase in the descent, a heavy bar B is attached to the bot number of robberies from shop windows or tom ofv the blind. In'its upper position, the show cases even during the day time. A laths A, are concealed from,view,(for inwindow is broken by means, of a heavy article, stance by a valance) likewise. the means for 5 and a tray of jewels, for example grabbed by supporting the "blind, which is conveniently if the thief. inthe form of a bracket C carriedupon a ver-' The present inventionaims at preventing tical piece D, fastened to the topmember of the thief from seizing the goods after he has the window frame or to any other means of broken the window, and it has the advantages support E at some height above and within; 19 that it does not obstruct the sight of the goods or slightly behind the plane of the window 60 when it is in its "inoperative position, and pane F. The bracket 0 is hinged horizon that it works swiftly and is not, dependent tallyto the vertical piece'D and formsa platupon the functioning of'an electric circuit, form extendingbackwards (i. e. into the p which may get out of order. shop), when held horizontal or thereabouts With this and other objects in View I pro by a pair of inclined parallel hinged struts G.

vide according to the present invention, for The latter extend downwards andv are con the protection of goods in a window, an inter nected together at their lower ends by a cepting device which rests upon a bracketor horizontal cross-rod H carrying a roller J platform hinged atone end to a carrying resting normall upon a special support,

member-and held up at the other end by which becomes isplaced by thebreaking of wt struts resting at their lower ends, by the aid the Window so, causing the platform tofall of a roller or eqn'ivalent, upon a member into avertical position and no longer give which is maintainedin its holding position support to the blind which instantlyicomes by apiece extending to the windowoor like crashing down at a great speed.

.5; ane, so that-when the latter is jarred or The support for the struts, in the example it" broken, the ends ofthe struts are deprived-of under consideration, comprises a wheel :or

their support and consequently, the said roller K, mounted in ahingedextensionLo-f intercepting device falls down. the vertical piece D, the extension L being The saidintercepting devicemay bein the suspended from the upper part D by a hinge form of a grille or portcullis, or ashutter, M allowing it'to sway when free to'do 86 V partition, screen or blind (preferably aoroller The said upper part D is fastened rigidly vat blind composed of rigid laths). which for some point high up in the windowlsuch as by convenience will hereinafter be termed *6. screws N connecting it to the support E) and blindb F the lower extension L is given atendency .to vention as applied-to ashop Window will now pressure of the struts G which are inclined be described byway of exainple,with the aid downwardlytowards it, and it is prevented of the accompanying drawing illustrating the from actually touching the glass by a. small same,- in which Figure 1 is a side elevation and spring plunger 0 or somesuch equivalent fdewindow is also shown, illustrated, works in a small bracket P, and At the sides of the window vertical chancarries a spring Q betweenits headan-d the.

nels of any convenient form are provided in said bracket. The vibration or shocktof a which the blind can slide up and down and blow upon the glass F is transmitted to the 1 be prevented from being pushed inwards or hinged portion: L of theverticalpiece D,

outwards. The blind is composed of horicausing it to dislodge the roller J of the cross? zontal lathsfA hinged together in any suitrod H from the wheel orroller K, the'roller able manner and suspended by arol ler or in a J then rolling-off from thewheel or roller K, V M any other way so that it can rapidly descend and the latter maybe grooved or flangedjon One constructional embodiment ofmy inswing towards the glass F by reason of the 95 Figure 2 a rear elevation, A portion of the vice. The spring plunger'O h'asa head as 99 v by gravitywhendesired. To facilitate the bmhfacesto prevent lateraldisengagement.

' the struts G Itisto be understood that my invention is 7 formed in one piece. 7 V

" heavy bar roller and an ogee-shaped member so "ar ranged that when the window s g ven ablow.

with a brick or other heavy object, the portion O- in contact with the of the spring plunger glass F Will tremble, which trembling will be transmitted to the ogee support and cause the roller'J to roll off the same. This will causethe bracket C to fall smartly, allowing the B and the blind A to descend. Thus the thief is prevented-from laying guide-ways bell T- worked from a battery U may be rung-also lighting a lamp Ywhen the blind falls or anv' other suitable sounding alarm may be substituted. ofthelength of By the suitable adjustment 7 carrying "the roller K the sensibility of the device can be varied.

not limited to the arrangement above scribed, but is capable of wide variation, for example,the blind may be of any type,'and material, the platform support may beof any shape and'formed with any suitably curved surface and the vertical piece D to which the the part L may be bracket 7 is secured and Ic-laim': c "1r Inan automatic theft'pr'evention device for use in shop windows, di splay cabinets and i the like of that type including an intercepting screen adapted to fall into position between the window pane andfthe goods in the display 1 area,the combination of a bracket normally supporting said screen in an elevated position,

, a'carrying member to which" one-end of said bracket is hinged,

I 7 means for holding said member hi up inpermanent position, struts hinged to said-bracket so as to be capable of hanging downwards therefrom; and displaceablemeans for supporting the lower ends of said struts, thedisplacementof which is; occasion'ed by the jarring or breakage of the windowpane;

2. In an automatic theft prevention device a for use in shop windows,'display cabinets and V normally supporting the like of that type including anintercepting screen adapted to fall into position between the'window pane andthe goods inthe displayarea', the combination'of a' bracket said screen i in an elea carrying member to which vated position,

bracket is hinged, means for one end of said holding said member high-up in permanent his hand upo'nany of the goods, A s'witch such-as S-may be positioned in one of the :so that an electric alarm 7 means for supporting position, struts hinged to said bracket so as to be capable of hanging downwards there-' from, an extension hingedly suspended from the said carrying member, means for supporting the bottom extremities of said struts upon the said extension, and means between the, latter and the window panefor maintaining said extension in itssupporting position, so that such position is dependent upon the pane remaining intact.

- In an automatic th'eft prevention device for use in shop windows, display cabinets and ing screen adapted to fall into position between the window pane and thegoods in the display area, the combination of a bracket normally supporting said screen in an elevated position, a carrying member to which one end of said bracket is hinged, means for holding said member high up inpermanent,

position, struts hinged to said bracketso as to be capable of hanging downwards therefrom, a rod connecting the lower ends'of said struts, an anti-friction element upon said'rod',

displaceable means upon said extension for supportingsaid element, and means between the, latter and thegwindow pane for maintaining. said extension in its supporting position, so that such position is dependent upon thepane remaining intact;

a 4:. In a theft prevention including an intercepting screen, the ''combi.- nation of a bracket normally supporting the screen in non-intercepting position,'fa 'carrys ing member holding said bracket hingedly, means for holding said carrying member fixedly, struts hinged ends of said struts, and means for keeping said hinged means at such adistance from the device of that type flu the"like of that type'including an interceptto said bracket hinged V displaceably the lower window pane which when jarred orbroken .wil-l no longer support the said struts and" cause the bracket with-the screen resting upon it to ,descendand cut ofi access tothe goods '1 by'the intendingthief.

- 5. Ina theft prevention deviceof that type including an intercepting screen, thelcombi nation ot a bracket:normallysupporting the screenin non-intercepting position, a carrying 'member holding. said 7 bracket hingedly,

means. for h olding' said carrying memberfl fixedly, struts hingedto said bracket, hinged means for supporting displaceably the lower ends of said struts, and aresilient distance piece between the windowpaneand the lower end of said'hinged means. r

6. In an automatic theft prevention device forusein shop windows, displaycabinets and the like and of that type including'fa vertically movable intercepting, screen adapted to fall into position between the window pane I, V

andthe goods .in'the display area,ithe combie I nation of a stationary upstanding. support,

an element hinged to said support intermediate its: ends: for disposition; at right angles thereto to normally hold the screen in nonintercepting position,.an extension hinged to the lower end of and depending from said support, struts hinged to and depending from said element, a resilient device normally acting, while the window pane is intact on said extension for forcing the latter in a direction away from the window pane, and means carried by said extension for releasably supporting the struts in upstanding position for maintaining said element in holding position during the normal action of said device.

7. In an automatic theft prevention device for use in shop windows, display cabinets and the like and ofv that type including a vertically movable intercepting screen adapted to fall into position between the window pane and the goods in the display area, the combination of a stationary upstanding support, an element hinged to said support intermediate its ends for disposition at right anglesthereto to normally hold the screen in nonintercepting the lower end of and depending from said support; struts hinged to and depending from said element, a resilient device normally act-' ing, while the window pane is intact on said extension for forcing the latter in a direction away from the window pane, means carried by said extension for releasably supporting the struts in upstanding position for maintaining said element in holding position dur-' ing the normal action of said device, and re silient distance means carried by and extended from the lower end of said extension.

WILLIAM JOHN SAMUEL.

position, an extension hinged to r 

